Stoker-grate agitator



May 27,' 1930. c. F. MILLER STOKER GRATE AGITATOR Filed NOV. 11, 1926 C RM ii let:

ENVENTOR WITNESSES ATTORNEY Patented May 27, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CHARLES F. MILLER, OF MOORES, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO "WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC & MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA STOKER-GR-ATE AGITATOR Application filed November 11, 1926. Serial No. 147,806.

My invention relates to stokers, more particularly to grate agitating mechanism therefor, and has for its object the provision of apparatus of the character designated which shall be simple of design and capable of effective agitation of the grate mechnaism over a wide range of operating conditions.

Apparatus embodying features of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, wherein Fig. 1 is a view of the outside of a furnace showing my improved driving means for an over-feed grate section and for the clinker grinding rolls of such furnace; and,

Fig. 2 is a view showing a modification of my invention.

My invention is particularly applicable to the over-feed grate sections of stokers such as is shown and claimed in the application of Donald J. Mosshart, Serial Number 147,807, filed November 11, 1926, relating to stokers, and in the application of R- A. Foresman, Serial Number 147,810, filed November 11, 1926, and relating to stokers, both of said applications being assigned to the Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Company, though it will be apparent that it is capable of much wider application.

Briefly, my invention comprises a mechanical movement wherein reciprocatory motion is converted to an oscillatory motion through the medium of a toggle mechanism, and is transmitted to the shaft controlling a stoker grate section. A lost motion connection is embodied in the toggle joint and the motion transmitted to the shaft may be varied either by means of an abutment member having a plurality of selective abutment surfaces, and effective for varying the amount of the lostmotion in the connection, or by changing the angularity of the toggle, so as to vary its throw or stroke. With either method the degree of movement imparted to the grate section maybereadily varied to suit conditions under which the stoker is operating.

Referring now to the drawings for a better understanding of my invention I show, in Fig. 1 in dotted lines as being behind the furnace wall, a conventional stoker 10 having an oscillatory over-feed grate section 11 adapted to be driven by my improved agitating mechanism. It will be understood that the stoker 10 is of the progressive feed type wherein fuel is admitted at the front and discharged toward the rear over the over-feed grate section 11 and the residue discharged into a clinker pit 12. The clinker pit 12 is provided with suitable clinker grinding rolls 13 which may also be operated coincidentally with the operation of the over-feed grate section 11.

At 16 I show a motor which transmits its motion through a belt 17 to a suitable reduction gear 18. The reduction gear 18 drives a crank shaft 19 to which is connected by means of an arm 14 an actuating rod 21. The actuating rod 21 is provided at its upper end with a slot 22 through which passes a pivot pin 23 of a toggle mechanism. The toggle mechanism is comprisedof two links 20 and 25 hinged together by thetoggle pin 23. The link 20 is pivoted at 30 to a stationary member suitably secured to the furnace wall, and the link 25 is connected to an arm 24 secured to a shaft 26. The shaft 26 supports the over-feed grate section 11 and is adapted to be oscillated in order to impart an agitating movement to the over-feed grate section. As the shaft 19 rotates, the toggle mechanism is raised and lowered imparting an oscillatory motion to the shaft 26.

In order to vary the oscillation of the shaft 26, orthe range of movement imparted to the pivot pin 23, I provide an abutment member 27 having a plurality of selective abutment surfaces 2828 provided alongi-tsside. The abutment member 27 is pivoted to the rod 21 at 29 so that it may be moved about said pivot point to bring any one of the abutment surfaces into position for engagement with the toggle pin 23, each of the abutment surfaces being effective to provide a difierent length stroke to the toggle mechanism.

In order to select the abutment. surface required for the desired travel, I provide'a rod 31 pivoted to the abutment member 27 at 32 and effective for moving said abutment member around the pivot 29. The rod 31 is operc my ihie fe el de ee elle cl reetly bene th he te le H1123,

Should the handle be moved at a time when an abutment surface 28 of the cam member 27 is in engagement with the toggle pin 23 the springs 33 and 34 permit moveteeht. Q s iel hehdle eleti e 0 he red e het it h heveel ehse eel w h he desir d hele 3. With ut. efiee ihg he ebetmeht un il it heeeheee di eneged hem the tege' e p n 2 by ee en e he le t metieh eehheet eh e med by the upper en Q th e et22- -it. wil e een hat, i h h app ratu ju t described, he e ih Q mov me t Qt the ever-teed rate eeetieh can b cen olled wi hin desi ed-limit te e mmede e fuel 0t ditter ht e eree erie iee- For examp e t a fuel having a high clinker forming content s b ing hirleyed hi the e reker, he e eed state veee ien ehld. he agitated o t e full ext nt of h evet eht preeurahl in or er to bre k up the termite elihk re, Wher as, it e u lower elinker teem ng e hteh i pleyetl ehly medium Qt elati ely Smel let l d Qt m emen i reqh tee It mey th rhiere be de i b e te 91 ate the e er-tee ee t eh h eehjuh tien wit the nker g inder hells of the ehhk r p t I ee r ingly s ow, t He 1, the, inker gr nder tells 1. c nnec ed to he e ehh haft 19 thr g eh e h 410 se u ed to the haf 19, e eenfiee ihs ink it en ugh e. e y m n d a m .2 d pen n f om the haft f one o the elle h h e enk hett 19 i eted th 42iS WUI g he k nd t e en trehem te its e h t0 th 1 13 wi whieh t eenh e d thr-eug e PeW n ratchet mechanism. The arm i2 is provided with an integral extension &8 which projects heyehd .eh v t the hnker ollsand is P 7 vie ed rive ed-pawl mem e 43 Wh ehgegee a re'tehet Wheel 9 hey e te h l nker ell- A ree e4 ehhe sthe e m 4: w th an arm. 6 t he. ether tell. 13 he thet h trem the f t me t eh d r 3 is transm t d e he thet el end turn eeid tell thrlig e Pe l .7 ehgegins e r het wheel 5Q.- "Thu th linker rinde :"e l l3 epereted in eyhehr niem' With he e e teed rate seetieh'lr The eetiehe .ef the-tel n ct the grete e'et eh they thu he eec het d te eii t' eryiheeeeditiehee Yehime .et r us t he .hehd d- The iej ihe pez lie fhe' e ig. 2, sh e medifiedparts of thisdrive, such as the motor, reduction gear and connecting rods may be the same as described in connection with Fig. 1 and require no further detailed description. The principal difference between the two forms of drive resides in the arrangement of the toggle mechanism, In accordance with this form of my invention the toggle mechanism comprises a pin 51 and two links 52 and .53.. The link 5.31is connected to. an arm 24? secured to a shaft 2.6 as in the previously described modification. The link 52 is carried by a movable abutment 54:. The abutment 54 may be moved away from or toward an operating rod 21 as by means of a screw end hut eehhe tie T e p n 5 titles in e slet- 22 of the d 21 h hi he'p u y described modification. The abutment 54- is p e n suc e p s tion W th e p to e e h e tieh h tw ei e k 53 and th a m 2% that, as the shaft 9 r tates, t e red 2 carries the toggle pin 51 upwardly or down.- wardly beyond a line drawn from the abutment 54L to said connection.

In this manner, when the shaft 26 is oscil lated, together with the over-feed grate sectieh, ee d e er teed gr te eet e is r i n i h links 2 n 53 ere ju y nd the ethe li p t en, en th 'eve -teed r te section then falls by gravity to its lower position. With this form of drive, the over-feed grate section, when pushed upwardly into, the h de net rem h lens i it uppe P ieh W re it would be l able t h bu by contact wit-h the fire, but ,dropsquickly backward to its lower, cooler position. Furh r r h sl is. arrang s het th 'rod 21 transmits motion to the shaft 26* both as t m v s upwer ly the WhWet-dly- Thu he haft 26* i gi en a deuhle eeei et ry evetheh tor 'eeh re e iti ct he c eek eheft :1 Ih rd r t very h t t el ef meti h mpar e to the sh ft 2 t ht m y e mo w y rom erto- War e r d 2 From t e r go ng il be 'ep-pe ht that I have devised an improved mechanism f r agitat e ete g ete', imple of des gn, p nd b e in p ret e end eeileh e ihe me ev a d ang t eethp h ete e re-tying petetihg eehd ieh While I have shown my invention in two term will he hviehe' e these k ll d. t e hit het ti n t o l m te t is he ptible of various other changes and modifications, without departihg from the spirit .theree e I desi e, her e ha ly ehe ..hm te ehe she l he tle e l thereupon e impe e hr he Pri hi o he te neeifi h ly et fcr-th in h append d ele m i Whe -I ele m e=+' I 1. Ina stoker, the combination of an over.- e d r t eetieh; meehe e pivetelly eupp rtihsh grete .eeet eea ee meehe r h Pe iee eeille ery theve heht t t eerete section about its pivotal support; said motion imparting means including an operating rod having a longitudinal slot, means for imparting a reciprocatory motion to the rod, toggle mechanism having one link pivotally secured at its outer end to a stationary part and a second link operatively connected at its outer end to the grate section, an actuating pin connecting the inner ends of the toggle links and slidably disposed within the slot, and means including an abutment member for engaging the pin, said abutment member having selective abutment surfaces for varying the efiective length of the slot.

2. In a stoker, the combination of a grate section; means for supporting the grate section to permit movement of such section; and means for moving the grate section; said moving means including a rod having a slot, means for imparting a reciprocatory motion to the rod, toggle mechanism operatively connected to the grate section and having an actuating pin slidably disposed within the slot, and means for varying the throw of the toggle mechanism.

3. In a stoker, the combination of a grate section; means for supporting the grate section to permit movement of such section; and means for moving the grate section; said moving means including an operating rod having a longitudinal slot, means for imparting a reciprocatory motion to the rod, toggle mechanism operatively connected to the grate section and including an actuating pin slidably disposed within the slot, and an abutment member secured to the rod and engaging the actuating pin for operating the same, said abutment member having a plurality of selective abutment faces for engaging the pin and effective when moved to different positions to vary the effective length of the slot.

4. In a stoker, the combination of a grate section; means for pivotally supporting the grate section; and means for moving the grate section about its pivotal support; said moving means including a rod having a longitudinal slot, means for imparting a reciprocatory motion to the rod, toggle mechanism operatively connected to the grate section and including an actuating pin slidably disposed within the slot, an abutment member rotatably mounted on the rod adjacent to the slot and having a plurality of selective abutment surfaces for engaging the pin, each surface being efiective to provide a diiferent efiective length for the slot, and means for rotating the abutment member.

5. In a stoker, the combination of a grate section; means for pivotally supporting the grate section and means for moving the grate section about its pivotal support; said moving means including a rod having a longitudinal slot, means for imparting a reciprocatory motion to the rod, toggle mechanism operatively connected to the grate section and including an actuating pin slidably disposed within the slot, an abutment member rotatably mounted on the rod adjacent the slot and having a plurality of selective abutment surfaces for engaging the pin, each surface being effective to provide a different effective length for the slot, an operating arm for the abutment member, means connected to the rod for moving the operating arm to different desired positions, and resilient means connecting the last mentioned moving means and the operating arm.

6. In a stoker, the combination of a grate section; means for pivotally supporting the grate section; and means for moving the grate section about its pivotal support; said moving means including a rod having a longitudinal slot, means for imparting a reciprocatory motion to the rod, toggle mechanism operatively connected to the grate section and including an actuating pin slidably disposed within the slot, an abutment member rotatably mounted on the rod adjacent the slot and having a plurality of selective abutment surfaces for en.- gaging the pin, each surface being efiective to provide a different effective length for the slot, an operating arm for the abutment member, movable means connected to the rod, selective means for positioning the last mentioned movable means on the rod in different positions corresponding to difierent positions of the abutment member, and resilient means connecting the last mentioned movable means ind the operating arm of the abutment mem- In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this third day of November,

CHARLES F. MILLER. 

